The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-10-09

nands Derore n,m. Two must not Keep
her waiting. Give her access, my dear
colonel. ut once. and even as she came
alone"
The aide -de-csmp bowed and withdrew
In another moment the half opened door
swung wide to Mistress Thankful Bios
bom.
She was 20 beautiful in her simple
tiding dress. so quaint and original in
hat very beauty, and, above all, so TEEN
ng with a certain vital earnestness OF
|urpose just positive aud audacious
nough to set of that beauty, that the
rave gentleman before her did not con
mt himself with the usual formal in
clination of courtesy, but actually ad-
yanced, and. taking her cold little hand
in his, graciously led her to the chair he
had just vacated.
even if your name were not known TO
me, Mistress Thankful" said the com
mander-i in chief, looking down upon her
with grave politeness, mature has, me-
thinks, spared you Che necessity OF any
introduction TO the courtesy of a gentle
man. But how can / especially serve
you
Alacki the blaze OF Mistress Thankful's
brown eyes had become somewhat dimmed
in the grave half lights of the room. in
the graver, deeper dignity Of the erect.
soldier like figure before her. The bright
color born Of the tempest within and with
out had somehow faded from her check,
the sauciness begotten from bullying her
horse in the last half hours rapid ride
was so subdued by the acrual presence Of
the man she had come to bully that | fear
she had 10 use all her self control 10 keep
down her inclination 70 whimper, and to
keep back the tears that, oddly enough,
rose to her sweet eyes as she lifted them
to the quietly critical yet placid glance Of
her interlOcutor.
~ can readily conceive the motive Of
this visit. Miss Thankful. continued
Washington. with a certain dignihed
kindliness that was more reassuring than
the formal gallantry Of the period; ''and
il is, l protest, to your credit. \ fathers
welfare, however erring and weak that
father may be. is most seemly in a
maiden -
Thankful's eyes flashed again as she
TO her feet. Her upper lip, that had
a moment before trembled in a pretty in
famine distress, now stiIened and curled
as she confronted the dignihed figure be-
fore her. 1t is not of my father 1 would
speak. she said saucily: IL did not ride
here alone tonight, in this weather, TO
talk Of him; ] warrant he can speak for
himself. / came here 10 speak of myself.
Of lies-ay. lies told OF me. q poor girl,
ay, Of cowardly gossip about me and my
sweetheart. Capt. Brewster. now confined
in prison because he bath loved me. n lass
without politics or adherence 20 the
AS II 'twere necessary every lad should
ASK the confidence OF permission Of your
self OF. belize, my Lady Washington, in
his preferences"
She paused a moment, out of breath.
With a wOman's quickness OF intuition
she saw the change i'm W~ashington's face
saw "A certain cold severity oyershadow-
lux d. With a woman's fateful per
sistency-a pcrsistency which / humbly
suggc>l might. on occasion. be- houorably
copied los our more polite seN-,hc went
on 10 shy what was ia her. even il she
were obliged with a woman's honorable
Inconsistency. 10 unsay IL 10 ana hour OF
two later, All Inconsistency which l also
humbly protest might be as honorably
initiated by us-On occasion.
at has been said, 80 said Thankful Bios
som quickly, that my fathcr has given
entertainment knowingly 10 Two spies-
two spies that, begging your rxcellency's
pardon and the pardon of congress, 1
know only a. two honorable gentlemen
who have as honorably rendered me THEN
affections. II is said. aud hasely and
most falsely too, thai my sweetheart,
Capt. Allan Brewster, has lodged this I'M
formation. have ridden here TO deny 10.
| have ridden here TO demand OF you that
an honest woman's reputation shall not
be sacrificed 10 the interests Of politics;
that Il prying mob of ~ragamuiins shall
not be sent 90 IN honest farmer house 10
spy and spy-aud turn a poor girl out Of
doors that'they might do 10. lis shame
ful. 50 it. is. there. Ills most scaudalous,
so it, is; there. now! spies. indeed what
are they, pray
In the Indignation which the r%ecollec-
tion OF her wrongs had slowly gathered IN
her, from the beginning of this speech,
she had advanced her face. rosy with
courage and beautiful la it's imperti-
hence, within a few inches of the dignihed
features and quiet gray eyes of the great
70 her utter ,tupeiacti0u
he bent his head and kissed her, with a
grave benignity, fun OF the center of her
audacious forehead.